Container and liner therefor



p 1937- J. B. LUCK ET AL 2,094,257

CONTAINER AND LINER THEREFOR Filed Aug. 12, 1935 IIIIYIIIIIIIIIIIIIImeme Sept. 28', 1937 UNITEDQS TATES PATENT were: 2,094,251

CONTAINER AND LINER THEREFOR James B. Luck, Providence, B. 1., and HarryM. Chatto, Cambridge, Mass.

Application August 12,1935, Serial No. 35,100 l 12 Claims. (01. 65-15)10 in the home or in camping service as it will remove in large part thedrudgery ofdishwashing,

which at all times is unpleasant and in cases.

where food has become adherent to the dish is a particularly difficultand objectionable task.

15 The modern so-called paper or paper pulp dish has been developed tothe point where it is serviceable and satisfactory under manyconditions, but

the public has not yet accepted it as a substitute I for china, silveror other fine table ware, and in 2 fact, it still falls far short ofcomplete satisfaction under certain conditions. For example, when usedas a pie plate, the knife which cuts the pie is also liable to cut intoor through the pulp plate .with obvious unpleasant results. Such ware or25 other molded cellulose fibre product, however, lends itself quitesatisfactorily to the construction of our liner.

Although there seems to exist some aversion to the service of food on apaper or paper pulp dish, 3 nevertheless, there appears to be just asdefinite a liking for a lined dish, and linings are used not only forutilitarian purposes, but also for decoration and frequently in fineservice asa last dainty finish. A white paper or paper pulp lining with-35 in or upon a fine china or silver dish seems to convey a suggestionof individual daintiness, cleanliness and freedom from objectionablecontacts. Such a suggestion is even more pronounced with cheapercrockery or metal ware and 40 when used in the cheaper line of eatingplaces.

' The practical advantages of -such a liner are obvious. Notonly isdishwashing greatly reduced, but the supporting dishes may be kepteither hot or chill d as desired and thus tend to keep the food ser edin the liner in similar condition. After use the liner may readily beremoved and discarded v v v The advantages following the use of ourliner in mixing and cooking dishes are particularly 50 noteworthy.Instead of the necessity of scraping or soaking adherent material fromthe dish, our liner is simply disengaged therefrom and burned orotherwise disposed of. v I One of the main objections to dish lining de-55 vices heretofore used was the difiiculty of retaining or locking thesame in position on the supporting dish or holder. To avoid this variousexpedients 'were suggested, such as corrugating the lining, orperforating or otherwise breaking the rim of the dish to receiveprotuberances' on the 5 liner, all of which required change from theusual standard dish to such a degree as to make the use of the same.impracticable, undesirable and unsightly. While we propose to use withour liner a dish or holder so constructed as to prevent dislodg ment ofthe liner during use, it is our object to accomplish this without thenecessity for any unduly obvious or unaesthetic mechanical features of.construction which would tend to mar and alter the standard simple lineand pleasing appearance of the traditionally accepted plates and bowlsof the table and kitchen service.

Briefiy, we propose to hold the liner resiliently in its dish or holder.This is satisfactorily accomplished when the liner is made of paper pulpor other moldable cellulose fibre product and is provided with a rimportion which may be formed with curved arched surfaces or bows, singlyor in greater number, which add to the natural slight resiliency of thestock enough spring to permit the same to be snapped into position inthe holder and to be held there againstmovementso long as desired. It isessential that our liner be made of premolded pulp or otherself-sustaining material with enough rigidity to retain its desiredform, and in this respect our invention represents improvement over themany proposed paperlinings of the prior art which relied entirely on thedish on which they rested to furnish their support, or requiredpleating, crimping or other mechanical device to impart the requiredrigidity to the liner. We provide a smooth-surfaced, molded liner whichis entirely self-supporting and is adapted to be inserted within acontainer of crockery, metal, or other rigid material for the purposesof protecting such containers.

In the accompanying drawing we have illustrated and in the followingspecification describe certain embodiments of our invention which wehave found successful in practical use. Throughout the specification anddrawing-like reference numerals are employed to indicate correspondingparts, and in the drawing:

1 Fig. 1 is a section through an assembly of our holder and liner. I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the interlocking rims of theholder or filler.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification, and

Fig. 4 is .a fragmentary plan view showing the assembly of Figs. 1 and2.

holder l and a removable lining member 2. The

' tain its shape.

Zhollier I, iroi' permanent,v multi-use material and the liner 2 is ofsingle use, destructible material. The material of the liner may be ofmolded fibre pulp or other cellulose fibre capable of" being molded todesired form and producing a self-supporting body as above suggested asdistinguished from ordinary folded or pressed paper or other materialrequiring foldin Dressing or other mechanical reinforcement to main- Theholder I may be any desired hollow dish, plate, bowl or othercontainer,the plate showin is provided with an upwardly extending flange In whichis provided with means to hold the resilient, yielding, arched edge ofthe liner 2 within the holder l. Broadly, this is effected by forming'the upwardly extending flange or side wall |a,' which as illustrated maybe outwardly flaring, with a groove or indentation'3 into which the edgeof the resilient rim l of the liner 2 may be sprung.

In the form of holder illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the wall of theholder l flares outwardly as at 5, and is then turned upwardly andinwardly as at 6 to form the groove 3 for the edge of the liner, andthence upwardly and outwardly to provide a guide or lead-in portion 6'over which the edge orperimeter of the resilient or yielding rim of theliner 2 is guided and sprung and which retains the liner in thecontainer until removed as hereinafter described. Beyond the portion 6'the rim curves downwardly as at 'l and may have a beaded edge 8.

The wall and rim of the holder may be modifled considerably as to anydesired form or bear any desired decoration. The rim 1 outwardly of thegroove 3 is desirable as a neat, pleasing and contrasting ornamentalfeature and also as a means of gripping the assembled device, but is notalways used, as for example, in straight sided dishes. v

Our liner is preferably of the same contours and of dimensions to permitthe base of the liner to lie snugly and flat upon the base of the holderI. When the liner is used as a plate in table or camping service, thesnug fit on base and side of the plate, serves to prevent the edge of aknife puncturing the plate as would likely occur if the plate had nobacking.

In the construction of the liner illustrated in Fig. l, the sidewallflares outwardly at In to form a substantially horizontally disposed bow4, the edge of which is adapted to be flexed inwardly to permit itsbeing snapped into the groove 3, in the holder.

One of the essential features of this construction of the liner is thebow or concentric arched or curved portion 4 of the rim by which theouter rim edge is resilientlyyieldable to be snapped into lockingrelation with the rigid cooperating concentric overhanging locking edge6' of the supporting plate or holder which overhangs the groove 3.

The how 4 is of such extent that when the liner 2 is locked in theholder I, the bow 4- extends upwardly above the rim portions 1 and} andforms a rest or support for a metal knife, spoon or other serving deviceand serves to prevent a metal to metal contact. By means of utilizingthe fibre liner as a rest for such articles, the rattle and noiseusually accompanying the com it of the same with the holder is avoided.Such a spacing means also serves to prevent any food particles remainingon a knife or fork from being deposited on the rim of the metalcontainer.

The modified construction of Fig. 3 includes double reverse curves orbows la and lib in the rim of the holder, the portions 5b merging intothe upright portion 5c. The liner 2 is similarly curved as at la and lb,the portion in extending above the holder rim as did the bow 4 and theother portion 4b being fore-shortened and having its edge abutting theupright 50, to hold the liner .under compression in the holder. The

.- double-bowed construction of this form of our being illustrativeonly. -In each case the holder double. arch but under most circumstancesthe simpler engagement of Figs. 1 and 2 is wholly satisfactory.

In an assembly of holder and liner, the liner may be removed byinserting the fingers through the openings 9 provided in the wall of theholder. Upon application of slight pressure the resilient rim of theliner is disengaged from the holder which is ready to receive a newliner.

The form of liner shown in Fig. 3 is readily inserted'in the holder asit may simply be pressed downwardly until the edge slips past the slightcurve of the inturned upright 50 and locks in the depression 3.

We preferably dispose the finger holes 9 or resilient tongues or otherdisengaging means in the upwardly extending flange la adjacent thereceiving groove for the resilient rim. This allows for a dislodging,warping movement of the liner rim by which the slight tension set up byspringing it into place is relieved. This frees the rim edge and theliner is loose and ready for removal without puncture, rupture ordistortion that might spill any food particles left in the ner.

We are aware of the use of ejector apertures in cans, containers orother holders through which the contents or lining can be poked out orejected. We do not therefore claim such broadly but only as a simple andinexpensive means of breaking or relieving the tensioned rim edgeengagement of our resilient liners to free the radial stress set up whenthey are sprung into place in the rigid holder in our combination.

The visible metal edge I of the holder adds greatly to the beauty of thedish and the raised bound rim or brim 4-4a of the liner protects theholder edge I from soil or noisy metal conact.

As suggested above, the liner need be supported by the holder only onthe base and rim, the liner being made of stock of sufficient body andrigidity to support itself. If desired, the liner may be decorated toaccord to the color scheme or to give the general appearance sought inthe service.

The shape of the dish is immaterial and may be circular or rectangular,the liner being capable of being produced in any desired shape and beingadapted to use whether in a mixing, cooking or serving dish. In all ofthese constructions only designs which may be molded are desirable asonly in molded pulp devices can be found the combined rigidity andresiliency which are essential to the assembly of our liner within itsholder.

Any modification in the form of construction within these limits may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention if withinthe limits of the appended claims.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In combination with a container having an upwardly extending wall,said wall having an upright portion curved slightly inwardly to define alocking portion on said wall, said wall extending upwardly and outwardlybeyond said locking portion thence extending as a decorative finishingrim for said container, a liner for said container of molded cellulosefibre having an upwardly bowed resilient rim having a portion above saidfinishing rim adapted to be sprung into locking engagement with saidlocking inward curve of said wall to lock said liner in saidcontainer-said upward and outward portion of the wall serving as a guideto facilitate springing the edge of the rim under the upwardly andinwardly disposed portion.

2. In combination with a container having an upwardly extending wall,said wall having a groove adjacent its edge and an inturned portionoverhanging said groove, and a finishing portion extending upwardly andoutwardly from said inturned portion, a liner for said container ofmolded cellulose fibre having an upwardly bowed resilient rim adapted tobe sprung past said inturned portion until the edge of said rim lies insaid groove, said container wall being perforated to providefinger-holes though which pressure may be applied to the upwardlyextending wall of said liner for releasing the tensioned engagement ofsaid rim from said groove and permit the same to pass said overhang tofree said liner from said container.

3. In combination with a container having an upwardly extending wall,said wall having a groove adjacent its edge, a finishing rim above andextending outwardly from said groove, a liner for said container ofmolded cellulose fibre having a resilient bowed rim adapted to be sprunginto said container with the edge of said rim in said groove, said bowin said liner extending above said finishing rim of said container -toprovide a rest for serving devices.

4. In combination with a holder including an overhanging locking rimhaving a lead or guiding surface extending downwardly and outwardly ofthe wall of said holder and a locking surface extending downwardly andinwardly and merging with said guiding surface, a liner having acontinuous annular arched portion concentric with and adjacent to theliner rim, the edge of said liner being adapted to be guided over saidoutward guiding surface and to be lodged beneath said inward lockingsurface.

5. In combination with a container having a depression in its walladjacent the upper edge thereof, an overhanging locking portion oversaid depression, a liner having bottom and side portions and an integralresilient brim portion consisting of concave portion and a mergingconvex portion, the edge of said concave portion lying within saiddepression in the container wall and said convex portion extending abovethe plane of the top of said container wall.

6. In combination, a container having an upwardly extending wall, saidwall having an upsaid locking portion of the container wall to lock saidliner in said container.

7. In combination with a container having an upwardly extending wall,said wall having a groove adjacent its edge, a finishing rim above andextending outwardly from said groove, a liner for said container havinga resilient bowed rim adapted to be sprung into said container with theedge of said rim in said groove, said bow in said liner extending abovesaid finishing rim of said container to provide a rest for servingdevices.

8. In combination with a container having an upwardly extending wall,said wall having a groove adjacent its edge, a finishing flange aboveand extending substantially outwardly from said groove to provide afinger gripping portion, a O

liner for said container having a radially resilient rim bowed about acircular axis concentric with the rim adapted to be sprung into saidcontainer with the edge of said rim in said groove.

9. In combination with a container having an upwardly extending wall,said wall having a groove adjacent its edge, a liner for said containerhaving a resilient bowed rim adapted to be sprung into said containerwith the edge of said rim in said groove, said how in said linerextending above the topmost point of said container to provide a restfor serving devices.

10. In combination with a container comprising a side wall having adepression near its upper edge, va liner locking portion above saiddepression and a rim extending outwardly from the wall above saidlocking portion, a liner provided with a transversely bowed rim, theperiphery of which is received by said depression and locked therein bysaid locking portion, said bowed rim extending above the plane of theoutwardly extending rim of the container to provide a rest for servingdevices.

11. In combination with a container comprising a side wall having adepression near its upper edge, a liner locking portion above saiddepression and a rim extending outwardly from the wall above saidlocking portion, a liner provided with a reversely curved rim, theperiphery of which is received in said depression and locked therein by4 said locking portion, one of the curves in the liner rim extendingabove the plane of the container rim to provide a rest for servingdevices.

12. A holder for use with a liner having a resiliently bowed rim, saidholder comprising a bottom, a side wall having a groove near its edge,an inwardly extending locking portion above said groove adapted to locksaid resilient rim in said groove, and a finger engaging flangeextending outwardly from the wall above said locking portion.

HARRY M. CHATTO. JAMES B. LUCK.

